ICICI Bank Revises Credit Card Rules from January 15: Check New Charges and Rewards

A fresh set of changes pertaining to the ICICI Bank credit cards will take effect from January 15. Customers are urged to review these updates carefully, as the changes may influence how much value they get from their cards and how much they pay for certain transactions.

Rewards on Everyday Spending
ICICI Bank Emeralde Metal Credit Card holders will continue to earn six reward points for every Rs.200 worth of retail purchases, such as buying clothes, groceries, or electronics, etc. However, some categories of spending will not earn any points. These include payments made for government services, fuel purchases, property management charges, rent, tax payments, and money added to third-party digital wallets.

This means that while regular shopping continues to bring rewards, essential payments like taxes or rent will not add to a cardholder's points balance.

Entertainment Benefits Linked to Spending
ICICI Bank has also tightened the rules around its BookMyShow movie ticket benefit. From January 15, cardholders will be required to spend at least Rs.25,000 in the three months before the benefit period starts to qualify for new offers. For example, if a customer wants to enjoy the offer during April, May, and June 2026, they must have spent Rs.25,000 between December 26, 2025, and March 25, 2026.
This requirement will be checked every quarter, meaning that consistent spending is necessary to continue enjoying the entertainment perks.

Charges on Add-On Cards
For customers using the ICICI Bank Emeralde Metal Credit Card, a new fee will apply to add-on cards. An add-on card is an extra card issued under the same account, often given to family members. From January 15, 2026, every new add-on card will carry a one-time fee of Rs.3,500.

Costs of Spending Abroad
The bank has revised its dynamic currency conversion fee across different cards. This fee is charged when a cardholder makes a payment in a foreign currency and chooses to convert it into Indian rupees at the point of sale.
The new rates are as follows:
• Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card: 1.49 per cent
• ICICI Bank Emeralde Metal Credit Card, ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card, ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Credit Card: 2.00 percent
• MakeMyTrip ICICI Bank Travel Credit Card: 0.99 per cent
• Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card: 1.99 per cent
• All other ICICI Bank credit cards, including MakeMyTrip Signature and Platinum cards: 3.50 per cent

This means that depending on the card, the cost of converting foreign currency into rupees will vary, with travel-focused cards offering lower rates and general cards carrying higher charges.

Fees on Gaming Transactions
From January 15, 2026, ICICI Bank will impose a 2 per cent fee on transactions made on online gaming platforms such as Dream11, Rummy Culture, Junglee Games, and MPL.

Charges for Loading Digital Wallets
Another new fee will apply when customers load money into third-party wallets such as Amazon Pay, Paytm, MobiKwik, Freecharge, and OlaMoney. If the amount loaded is Rs.5,000 or more, a 1 per cent fee will be charged on the transaction. It would lead customers to pay extra for topping up digital wallets with larger sums, while smaller amounts below Rs.5,000 will not attract the fee.

Cash Payment at Bank Branches
Finally, ICICI Bank has raised the fee for paying credit card bills in cash at its branches. The charge will increase from Rs. 100 per transaction to Rs. 150. Making branch-based cash payments more costly, the bank urges customers to use digital or online methods.